1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to image projectors and, more specifically but not exclusively, to image projectors employing speckle-reducing laser sources.
2. Description of the Related Art
This section introduces aspects that may help facilitate a better understanding of the invention(s). Accordingly, the statements of this section are to be read in this light and are not to be understood as admissions about what is in the prior art or what is not in the prior art.
A projector is a device that integrates a light source, optics, electronics, and a light-modulating element for the purpose of projecting an image or a sequence of images, e.g., from a computer or video input, onto a wall or screen for large-image viewing. There are many projectors available in the market, and they are differentiated by their size, resolution, performance, and other features. Some projectors employ laser light sources because the use of lasers enables creation of vibrant images with extensive color coverage that might be difficult to achieve with other (non-laser) light sources. However, one significant obstacle to laser image projection is the speckle phenomenon that tends to superimpose a granular structure on the perceived image. Since speckle both degrades the image sharpness and annoys the viewer, speckle reduction is highly desirable.